This invention relates to a cover for stringed instruments. More particularly this invention relates to a replaceable cover for assembly with a preassembled stringed instrument to assist in minimizing the effects of abusive treatment of a delicate finish of an exterior surface of the instrument. This invention further relates to a replaceable cover, for a preassembled stringed instrument, which displays a graphic design, and to methods of making the cover, and attaching the cover to the stringed instrument.
Stringed musical instruments, such as acoustic and electric guitars, including bass guitars, are formed with a body which may be composed of a material, such as wood or plastic. Typically, the exterior surface of the body of such instruments is formed with an attractive, but delicate, finish to enhance the aesthetic appearance of the body and the instrument.
When the stringed instrument is composed of wood, a stain and/or a varnish coating may be applied to the exterior surface thereof, which is then polished to provide the attractive, but delicate, finish. Where the instrument is composed of plastic, a fine, polished finish is formed on the exterior surface thereof to provide an attractive appearance.
Typically, such stringed instruments are handled by musicians and others before and after the use of the instruments to produce pleasing sounds in the form of music, and by the musicians during the production of music. During the handling of the instruments, the delicate finish thereof may be subjected to scarring, nicking, marring and other forms of similar external abuse, resulting in surface damage to the finish of the instruments, which, over time, can become unsightly.
Guitars, including acoustic guitars and electric guitars, have a basic structure which includes a body with a bridge mounted on a top thereof, a longitudinal neck extending from one side of the body at a neckjoint, a fretboard mounted on the top of the neck, a headstock at a free end of the neck, and a plurality of spaced, parallel strings extending between the bridge and the headstock, and over portions of the top and the fretboard.
When the guitar is used to produce music, the musician will pass, brush or strike the musician's fingers over, and in engagement with, a portion of the strings, which are adjacent the top of the body of the guitar. The striking motion of the musician's fingers is referred to as strumming, which results in vibrations in the strings. If desired, the musician may use an implement, referred to as a pick, to accomplish the strumming of the strings, rather than using the musician's fingers.
In particular, with respect to an acoustic guitar, the musician's fingers are strummed over the portion of the strings which are adjacent a sound hole formed in a soundboard, which is also the top of the guitar. As the strings are strummed, vibrations are developed in the portions of the strings over the sound hole, where the vibrations form musical tones.
With respect to an electric guitar, which is not formed with a soundboard or a sound hole, the musician's fingers are strummed over the portion of the strings which extend over spaced electrical pickups which extend outward from the top of the guitar. The pickups electrically sense the vibrations of the strings and amplify such vibrations as musical tones.
During the strumming of the strings by the musician, by hand or with a pick, specific surface portions of the delicate finish of the top of the guitar, which are adjacent the strummed portion of the strings, are subjected to repetitive strikes by the musicians fingers or the pick. This repetitive action results in the scratching, nicking, marring and general abuse of the specific surface portions of the top of the guitar, resulting in an eventual unattractive finish.
In the past, an overlay, or an insert, referred to as a pickguard, has been attached to specific surface portions of the top of the guitar to bear the brunt of the repetitive strikes applied by the musician during the strumming action. The pickguard is typically of a rigid construction, and may be formed from a durable, hard-wear material, such as, for example, plastic. Typically, the appearance of the pickguard is distinctly different from the delicate finish of the body of the guitar.
Examples of pickguards are illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 5,103,709, which issued to Richard A. Foss, Jr. on Apr. 14, 1992; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,517,891, which issued to Marc V. Sica on May 21, 1996.
While each of the above-noted two U.S. patents show a structure and technique for providing a pickguard, the pickguard illustrated in each of the two patents cover and conceal the underlaying attractive and delicate surface of the body of the guitar, and require separate fasteners to secure the pickguard to the body. In addition, due to the thickness of the pickguard as disclosed in each of the above-noted two patents, the pickguard presents a raised surface which extends outward from the top of the body of the guitar. In order for the strings to be positioned for strumming, the bridge of each guitar must extend farther outward than it would if the pickguard was not used with the guitar.
Thus, there is a need for a cover for a stringed instrument which will assist in precluding the effects of abuse to the delicate finish of the stringed instrument during handling, and during strumming of the instrument.
In addition, there is a need for a cover which will protect the delicate finish of a stringed instrument, while allowing the delicate, but attractive, finish to be visible.
Further, there is a need for a cover which will protect the delicate finish of a stringed instrument without requiring the strings of the instrument to be placed at a higher-than-normal space from an adjacent portion of the top of the body of the instrument.
The pickguard is rigidly fastened to the top of the stringed instrument, and removal and/or replacement of the pickguard is quite time consuming and tedious. For example, multiple fasteners, electrical control knobs, a switch cap, and the strings, must be removed before the existing, or first, pickguard can be removed. If another, or second, pickguard is to be assembled with the stringed instrument after removal of the first pickguard, the second pickguard is placed on the top of the instrument, whereafter the fasteners, electrical control knobs, switch cap, and the strings, must be reinstalled. The stringed instrument must then be tuned.
Thus, there is a need for a cover for the delicate finish of a stringed instrument which does not require fasteners to facilitate attachment of the cover to the instrument, and which can be readily removed, reinstalled, and/or replaced without removal of fasteners and the strings of the instrument.
On occasion, and without having to remove an existing pickguard, the musician may wish to provide a visible decorative appearance for the top of the stringed instrument for aesthetic purposes, notwithstanding the presence or absence of a pickguard in assembly with the top. Also, at separate performances, and even during a single performance, the musician may wish to provide successive alternate decorative appearances for the top of the stringed instrument for a pleasing effect.
An interchangeable applique for a guitar is illustrated and described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,649,817, which issued to William T. Hartill, on Nov. 18, 2003. As described in this patent, a support base, similar to a pickguard, is attached to the top of the body of the guitar by the use of fasteners. An outboard surface of the support base is structured to receive the applique, whereby the applique is held in place by a variety of facilities external of any property of the applique. Such facilities include various forms of physical complementary structure between the base and the applique, a clear cover which is fastened to the base and over the applique, magnetic means, adhesive means, or a hook and loop fastener,
Therefore, there is a need for a cover for a stringed instrument which has a visible decorative design thereon for assembly on the top of the instrument, notwithstanding the presence or absence of a pickguard, and without the necessity of facilities external of the cover to attach the cover to the top of the instrument.
Further, there is a need for covers for a stringed instrument, where each cover has a visible decorative design thereon which is different from the designs of the other covers, to provide for the interchangeability of covers of different decorative designs, notwithstanding the presence or absence of a pickguard, and without the necessity of facilities external of the cover to attach the cover to the top of the instrument.